Research Question Scope of the Study Objectives of the Study

branding as a luxury item has successfully placed it on popularity among Diponegoro University students. If students already have Apple products, then what comes after it? Baumol et al stated that universities are the most potential expansion media in transmitting foreign technology into a country 2007: 501. Some subculture theorists suggest that youths are not passive but they are active toward culture consumer Storey, 1996: 153. The writer decided to conduct a micro research toward Law Faculty students of Diponegoro University. Based on the capitalist enterprise’s outcome, students in the research are pure consumer as they do not use the Apple products they own as a tool to generate a new product which either economically or exchange valuable. The Law Faculty students as research participants come from middle-high economy families. If the writer could categorize the research participants’ parents background, two of them would be in the bourgeoisie category. The bourgeoisie are merchants, managers, and artisans for example, who become functionally dependent on capitalism, although they do not own the means of production Marx and Engels, 1970: 14. Summed up from Storey, youth’s culture in bourgeoisie parent context, their fashion and music are reflecting prosperous hedonistic consumer image 1996: 151. This shall reflect the impact of technology on contemporary society where technology offers a fascinating barometer of consumerism temptations Miles, 1998: 70. To follow up, the writer conduct a micro research in Law Faculty students about the Apple phenomena in Diponegoro University and write her thesis in the title “Consumerism in the Users of Apple Computer, Inc Products”.

1.2. Research Question

xiii In order to ease and focus the research, the researcher selects two research questions, which must be answered through the field research and analysis. 1. How do Apple Computer, Inc. products transcend consumerism to the research participants? 2. How far does material resource affect participant consumerism?

1.3. Scope of the Study

In order to sharpen the study and to make analysis clear, the researcher should formulate the scope analysis. Therefore, the researcher need to define her field of study and to narrow of her work in the points of when, where, what, and whom to observe and to interview Burgess, 1984: 53. These limitations are aimed at getting specific and valid result. This research focuses on the discussion of consumerism in the research participant’s daily activities that are connected to Apple gadget. To support the impact of consumerism the writer also focuses on why Apple products become the popular among Law Faculty students in Diponegoro University although Apple users are less than other brand’s users. Moreover, the research was conducted during the end of December 2012 to January 2013 in the research participants’ campus environment of Law Faculty, Diponegoro University including campus, research participant’s boarding house, and their hangout spots. Law Faculty student class of 2009 who own more than one Apple Computer, Inc product are the xiv targets of research. Specifically, students who own Apple products released from 2008 to 2012 that include iMac, Macbook, iPad, iPod and iPhone.

1.4. Objectives of the Study

In arranging the thesis, the researcher has some purposes, namely: 1. To produce in depth and complex knowledge of Apple products consumerism on Law Faculty students of Diponegoro University. 2. To gain a better understanding of what triggers Apple products popularity within Law Faculty students. 3. To focus on what the specific cultural impact established by Apple products to its users, the Law Faculty students of Diponegoro University.

1.5. Approach of the Study